Internal-combustion engine.



L. A. GAW.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

1 SHEETS-SHEET I.

L. A. GAW.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APiLICATlON HLED JULY 24, I916 Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

LUTHER A. G-AW, F CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA.

rnrnnnanoomnusrron ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

Application filed'J'uly 24, 1916. Serial No. 110,996.

My present invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to such embodying a reciprocable shell valve Within the cylinder for controlling the intake and exhaust, the piston Working within said shell valve.

The principal objects of my invention are .to provide an internal combustion engine of the character described,t which embodies lubricating means operated from the same shafts as are used for the control of said shell valve; valve mechanism for internal combustion engines which will cease to 0p erate if there is not suflicient lubricating oil introduced about the shell valve, or should the engine become overheated, the valve remaining inert with the intake port open under such abnormal conditions giving due Warning to the operators; valve mecha nism for internal combustion engines embodying non-rotatable shell valves, which are inert except when either their respective intake or exhaust ports are open, thus re ducing wear upon the valves to a minimum; valve mechanism for internal. combustion engmes embodylng reciprocable shell valves,

the said valves traveling in the same direction as their respective pistons for a ortion of the stroke; and an internal com ustion engine of the character described embodying means for lubricating the valves above and below their respective intake and exhaust ports, the oil being forced about the valves, and delivered to suitable oil sumpsinto which the piston rods dip, lubricating the valve control means.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the'followin detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying draw-' ings, forming a part of this application,

' and .in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view through an engine embodying my in- 4 vention, parts being shown inelevation in order to more clearly disclosedetails.

lBi g. an a vcrtioalaectional mew,

through said engine at'a right angle to that shown in Fig. 1.

llu the drawings, where similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the views, A designates a cylinder; 18 a cylinder head; C a crank case; D a shell valve reciprocable in cylinder A; E a trunk piston reeiprocable in valve D; F and F a crank and crank ditions, the structures are much simplified over what is now common in the art. The cylinder A may be provided with a jacket 3- which extends about the combustion chamber of the engine and has communication with a jacket 4 of cylinder head B, the ingress to the jacketing being as at 5 and the egress as at 6. An intake port for the charge is designatedas at 'Z, and an exhaust port 8' for the waste products of combustion, these ports being preferably diametrically opposite one another. I

It is preferred to construct the head B with a drum-like extension 9, of a diameter relatively less than the internal diameter of cylinder A, said drum-like extension to project within cylinder A when the head B ,is secured inoperative relation. to the cylinder, providing an annular groove 10, bounded by the cylinder A, extension 9, and the internal face of head B. An annular groove 11 is provided. at the external periphery of extension 9, for a purpose to be subsequently set forth, and the head, through bore 12 may accommodate a spark plug 13 or other ignition device having 1ts terminals within the combustion chamber.

As to the crank case 0, it may comprise a flange 14 integral with, or carried, by cylinder A; a base 15 formed to prov1de an oil sump 16; and, an intermediate portion 17 joining base 15 with flange 14. The various motions at the or .29 may be secured together as by bolts 18, so that they are. readily detachable to facilitate repair. Referring now to the cylindrical shell valve D, which fits nicely within the cylinder A, it is adapted to extend into groove 10, at head B, as indicated at 19, while the portion v20 opposite thereto preferably extends into the crank case C.- The valve D is provided with an intake port 21 adapted to register with intake port 7 of cylinder A; and an exhaust port 22, adapted to register with exhaust port 8 of said cylinder, the ports 21 and 22 being at opposite wall portions of the valve, but not diametrically opposite one another, in the example shown. The port 21 is centered in a transverse plane spaced substantially three times the width of port 7 or 8 from a similar plane in which port 22 is centered, so that as the valve D is reciprocated, it successively opens the exhaust and intake ports. A packing ring 23 may be disposed in annular groove 11, bearing against the internal periphery of valve D at its portion about extension 9 of head B, said ring preventing lubricating oil from passing into the combustion chamber, to any material extent, and aiding in maintaining compression within the cylinder A. The piston E may be of any suitable construction, of a diameter to fit nicely within shell valve D, and in the example shown, is provided with piston rings 24 engaging internal periphery of valve' D. Likewise,

the crank F and shaft F may be of any suitable construction, and in the example shown,the crank Fis operatively connected with piston E as through connecting rod G, oscillatabl about pivot 25, at piston E and provided with a bearing 26 at crank F, said bearing including a finger 27 adapted to dip in oil sump 16 to splash the oil for lubricating purposes as hereinafter set forth.

In order that movement of valve D may be cont-rolled for successful operation thereof during the intake, compression, power and the exhaust strokes of the engine, means H is provided, which, in theexample shown, comprises positive mechanism 28, such as a cam 29 acting upon a roller 30,. said roller supported by an arm 31 extending from the lower portion of valve D; and, nonositive or force-closed mechanism 32 sulc as a spring 33 and encircling a stem 34, said spring 33' compressed between the flange 14 of crank case O and said arm 31. The cam 29 is rotatable aboutan axis 34, said c'am having a working periphery 35, equidistant from its center 34 for substantiall 180; a concave workin stantially 90; an a convex workin periphery 37 for the remainder,90, e circumference of roller 30 bearing upon these working faces in succeeding relatlonf The cam. is so arranged that, when. said roller .bears upon the working face 35 which is periphery 36 or subsubstantially equidistant from its center 34, neither of the ports 21 nor 22 are open to their respective orts 7 and 8, so that during compression and power strokes, there is -no escape for the gaseous fluid from cylinder A. When the roller 30 engages the working face 37 or in other words, the throw of the cam, the valve D is moved so that port 21 opens port 7 to the interior of cylinder A, and when the roller 30 drops into the depression or engages the working face 36, the valve D is moved so that port 22 opens port 8 to the interior of cylinder A for the exhaust of waste products of combustion. As to mechanism 32, while I have herein shown the same embodying the elements 33 and 34, it is to be understood that any practical type of non-positive or force closed mechanism may be used. In the example shown, the stem34 extends through a bore 38 in crank case being disposed with its axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of valve D, a suitable cap 39 being provided to cover that portion of stem 34 which is exteriorly of case C. The stem 34 has the dual funccylinder 41 and piston 42, the latter of which maybe provided with an enlarged head 43; a check valve 44 adapted to control the passage of oil from a suitable chamber 45 below oil sump 16, a port 46 afi'ordin communication between said oil sum an chamber 45; a suitable check valve 4 preventing back flow of oil directly after it has been forced from the cylinder 41; and suitable conducting means 48 which delivers the oil forced from pump 40 to the portion 19 of valve D about extension 9 of head B, the egress of conducting means 48 being indicated at 49, passin through the jacketing 3 and cylinder A. Thus, as the piston 42 of pump 40 is reciprocated, the oil is drawn from chamber 45 into cylinder 40 as through port 50 and is forced past check valve 47 through conducting means 49 to that portion of valve D opposite to oil sump 16, the oil -being under pressure. Thus'the valve D is effectively lubricated, the oil circulating about the valve -D above and below its ports 21 and 22, and finally is delivered to oil.

shaft E; gear 58, and 'a shaft 60 rigid with gear 57 and extending transversely through crank Lanna-7t said piston an the end of cylinder 41 op.-

posite to head 43.

Referring now to the motion transmitting means K, for operation of the means H and J, it is desirable to operate said last mentioned means'at a uniform speed ratio from crank shaft F and the motion transmitting means K may comprise a gear 58 rigid'with a second gear 59 co-meshing with case C, the cams29 and 55 being rigid with shaft 60 internally of crank case C. The

circumference of gear 59 is substantially twice that of the circumference of gear-58 so that for each two complete revolutions of crank shaft F, the shaft 60 is revolved once, or in otherwords, passes through one phase of movement. A combination oil filler pipe 61 and breather 62 may be provided in communication with crank case C, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. i

The operation of the engine is as follows: As shown in the drawings, the piston-E is slightly past the start of the intake stroke, the shaft F rotating in the direction indicated by an arrow, and the shaft 60, rotatmg as indicated by arrow. It is to be observed that the roller 30 is in engagement with the start which engagement raises the valve 10 so that the port 21 of valve D is open to intake port 7. As the piston E descends for intake of the charge, during one-half of its phase of movement, the valve 1D moves in an opposite direction, however, the second half of the phase of movement, the valve D, responslve to non-positive mechanism 32 moves in the same direction as the piston B. As the p1st0n E ascends, for the compression stroke, the roller 30 rides upon the working periphery 35 of cam 29, and neither ports 21 nor 22 are open totheir respective ports 7 and 8, respectively. This condition exists during the power stroke or descending of the piston, the valve D being inert during the effective compression and power strokes. As the piston E again descends for exhaust of the waste products of combustion, the roller 30 drops into the recess or engages the working periphery 36 of cam 29, responsive to action of spring 32, and the exhaust port 22 is alined quickly with exhaust port 8, it

ofthe cam being des-' of working face 37 of cam 29,-

beingpreferred to so construct cam 29 that the drop at working periphery 36 will be abrupt and will quickly open the exhaust port, reducing back ressure within the combustion chambeno the engine, to a minimum.

It is to be observed that, if the valve D- should fail to." reciprocate readily, due to lack of lubrication, or owing to overheating of the engine, said valve would stick or adhere to the internal periphery of cylinder A with the port 21 open to port 7 inasmuch as the said valve is actuated to such position by' positive mechanism, but under normal conditions, is moved from such position by nonpositive or forceclosed mechanism. Thus under abnormal conditions, the operator would be notified of insufficient lubrication or over heating, there being little or no compression in the engine with the intake port open during the compression stroke.

As the finger 27 dips into oil sump 16, the oil is thrown through port 46, about head 43, cams 29 and 55, roller 30 and against the internal periphery of valve D.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention; but,

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder provided with in take and exhaust ports, acylindrical shell ,v-a lve within said cylinder provided with ports adapted to open to said ports of sa1d cylinder and being arranged in vertically 0E- set relation in planes adapted to lie at tlmes one above and one below the respective ports of the cylinder, a piston in said valve, and means for shifting said valve to aline cooperating ports for intake during the Intake stroke of said piston, said piston bemg adapted to shift the valve by frictional contact therewith to aline cotiperating ports for exhaust during the exhaust stroke of said piston, said valve being inert except whenmoving to open'and close sa1d intake or exhaust ports. I

2.- In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder provided with 1ntake and exhaust ports, a shell valve within said cylinder provided with ports adapted tobe open to said ports of said cylinder, a piston in said valve, and means lncludmg positive mechanism for moving sa1d valve to open cooperating ports for intakeof the charge, said piston by frictional contact therewith being adapted to move sa1d valve to close said ports;

3. In'an internal combustion engine, the combination .of a. cylinder having lateral intake and exhaust ports, a sleeve valve in the cylinder having corresponding ports therein, a piston movable in the sleeve, and means for positively shifting the sleeve valve to register a port thereof with the intake port valve Within said cylinder provided with .ports adapted to be open to said ports of of the cylinder, said sleeve valve being adapted to be shifted into an opposite position by frictional contact with the piston to register another port of the valve with said exhaust port of the cylinder, said sleeve valve also being adapted to stick in its positively Shifted position upon the overheating of the engine to maintain the exhaust port closed. 1

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder provided with intake and exhaust ports, a cylindrical shell tion transmitting means between said crank shaft and cam.

5. In an internalcombustion-engine, the combination of a cylinder provided 'with intake and exhaust ports, a shell valve within said cylinder provided with ports adapted to open to said ports of said cylinder, and an arm extending laterally at its lower portion, a crank case and crank shaft, a rod operatively connecting said piston with said crank shaft, a stem rigid with said arm, extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cylinder and guided against lateral movement by said crank case, an expansion spring about said rod and interposed between said crank case wall and said arm, to move said valve in one direction, a cam acting upon said arm to move the valve in the other direction, and motion transmitting means between said crank shaft and said cam.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder provided with intake and exhaust ports, a piston, crank shaft, and rod operatively connecting said piston and shaft of a shell valve interposed between said piston and cylinder for controlling said ports, lubricating mechanism for said shell valve, means for controlling said lubricating mechanism, means for shifting said shell valve to open the intake port, and motion transmitting means oneratively connected with said crank shaft for operating said control means for said lubricating mechanism and said shifting means for the shell valve, the valve being adapted to move into position to open the exhaustby frictional contact with the piston and to bind in the cylinder with the intake port open upon the failure of the lubricant.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder provided with an intake port, a shell valve within said cylinder provided with aflport adapted to open to said intake port of said cylinder, a piston in said valve, and means including positive mechanism for moving said valve to open said port for intake of charge, and non positive mechanism including the piston for moving said valve to close said port and admit sticking of the valve with the intake ports in register upon exhaust of lubricant on the valve.

. LUTHER A. GAW. 

